MANY people may get in a sweat about selling their home, but it's not their body odour that they need to think about. Your home has its very own building odour – and you might not even know it's there!

An unpleasant stink in your sitting room or bad bouquet in your bathroom can instantly, even subconsciously, turn a buyer off. But on the plus side… getting it right can be the key to house sales.

Dr David Lewis, a neuro-psychologist, explained: "Every house, like every person, has a unique signature smell, similar to a fingerprint. It's made up of old skin particles, hair, cooking odours, crumbs and dust embedded in your carpet, furniture and decorations.

"It's very difficult to detect the smell of your own home as your brain becomes used to the scent over time. However, to visitors it can be the first thing they notice when they enter a property."

A survey of 1,500 UK adults revealed that 89 per cent believe the smell of a home equates directly to their perception of its cleanliness.

Alison Cork, presenter of ITV's Homes & Properties, agrees: "The days of brewing a pot of fresh coffee and warming a baguette are long gone. People want a house to smell clean and fresh. My advice is to open all the windows and give each room a really good airing."